England’s Adrian Grant made up his team-mates’ disappointment in Saturday’s World Cup final in India by winning the Winnipeg Building & Decorating Ltd Manitoba Open in Canada.
But the top seed from London took 65 minutes to overcome surprise opponent Julian Illingworth, the fourth seed from the USA, in the climax of the PSA World Tour International 25 event at Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club in Winnipeg.
The record six-time US national champion came out quickly and found his length and width and pinned Grant to the back corners.
“Julian worked his magic, keeping control of the T and looking strong throughout the entire first game,” said tournament organiser Gene Turk.
But, in the second and third games, it was the Englishman who took control.
“Adrian started each rally with his targets being the back corners and kept Julian running from side to side. He was now in command and exercised patience, waiting for the proper time to attack,” Turk continued.
Illingworth came back in the fourth, trading points with his opponent until Grant edged through in the tie-break to record his 8-11, 11-2, 11-2, 12-10 victory.
“Those second and third games were the best two games that I played in the whole tournament,” said Grant later.
The win marks Grant’s second PSA Tour title success in Canada, and the 18th of his career – taking the left-hander to within one Tour title triumph of his Commonwealth Games Doubles gold medal-winning partner Nick Matthew, the world number one who is England’s leading Tour title winner.
Grant now moves on to Calgary in the Canadian province of Alberta – where he is competing in the Calgary Winter Club Rocky Mountain Open, a PSA World Tour International 35 event at Calgary Winter Club.
Unseeded, Grant faces top-ranked Swiss player Nicolas Mueller in the opening round.
Final:
[1] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [4] Julian Illingworth (USA) 8-11, 11-2, 11-2, 12-10 (65m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (48m)
[4] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [2] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-6, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4 (70m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Robbie Temple (ENG) 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 14-12 (110m)
[3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-8, 11-4, 13-11 (60m)
[4] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-5 (60m)
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 13-11 (70m)
1st round:
[1] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 (50m)
[Q] Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-2, 11-3 (85m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Zac Alexander (AUS) 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4
[3] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 13-11, 11-5, 11-5
[4] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Andrew McDougall (CAN) 3/1
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Justin Todd (CAN) 12-10, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9
Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] David Phillips (CAN) 12-10, 5-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Shawn Delierre (CAN) 16-14, 11-6, 8-11, 2-11, 11-9
Qualifying finals:
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (60m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 12-10, 11-4, 11-2 (25m)
Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Andrew Schnell (CAN) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (50m)
Andrew McDougall (CAN) bt Robin Clarke (CAN) 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8 (55m)
1st qualifying round:
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 (35m)
David Letourneau (CAN) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7 (50m)
Fred Reid (CAN) bt Josh Struthers (CAN) 3-11, 11-4, 12-14, 11-5, 11-9 (60m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 9-11, 11-7, 12-14, 12-10, 11-9 (90m)
Andrew Schnell (CAN) bt Bradley Hindle (MLT) 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 (70m)
Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 (45m)
Robin Clarke (CAN) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-4, 11-3, 2-11, 11-2 (35m)
Andrew McDougall (CAN) bt Tyler Hamilton (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (35m)
